The Blood of a Time Lord
by rebelspy
Summary: Fleeing from an unknown enemy, Peter Quill and the rest of the Guardians run into a strange and witty man who calls himself the Doctor. Little do they know, he's the only one who can help them get back home, protect Xandar, and save Peter from a horrendous fate. [Story is set when Rose and the 10th Doctor are still traveling together and about a year after GotG]
1. Last Resort

**I've been wanting to write a Guardians/Doctor Who crossover for a very long time now, and I finally did it! I don't know how long it's going to last, but I'd like to keep it going for a while. So enjoy and let me know if you want me to keep it going!**

**-Steph xx**

_Peter Quill_

"Rocket! I told you to make a left at the Aeron Asteroid Belt!" Peter shouts over the blaring alarm and leans forward to check the navigator on his ship's console. "Now we're going to have to go around again!"

"You did not say left!" Rocket shouts back. He tightens his grip on the controls and glares over at Peter. "I specifically remember you saying right!"

"I am Groot." The gigantic tree creature leans over Rocket's shoulder and frowns at him.

"Like you know!" Rocket snarls and turns the wheel hard to the right. Groot goes flying into the side of the ship barely missing Drax and Gamora.

"We're losing power," Peter mumbles to himself and for the first time since this whole thing started he feels unsure. His ship has never completely given out on him before. There have been a few close calls but never during a chase and _never _while there were people he cares for on board.

"Rocket, we're losing power!" Peter repeats louder so everyone can hear him over the alarm.

"Don't you think I know that?" Rocket makes a hard left, aiming the ship towards open space.

"Rocket, we cannot afford to get lost in open space!" Peter says. "The navigation controls are fading and we won't have enough power for communications!"

"Let alone to maintain oxygen levels," Gamora adds grimly from behind him. Peter turns around and looks at her. She's maintaining her usual stern and calm demeanor but Peter knows Gamora well enough to tell that she's nervous. She's clutching the armrests tensely and refuses to look at him. He turns back around because that's hard to look at, especially when this crapstorm they're in is all his fault.

The Nova Corps sent the crew and him on a small mission to investigate an idle ship in Xandar's air space. When they got there they carried out the usual procedures in confronting a potentially hostile ship. But there was no response to their signals so instead of retreating, as is procedure, Peter insisted they investigate. His team trusts him so they followed him onto the ship.

It wasn't hard to break in, what with Rocket's incredible lock-picking skills, but the trouble started once they were inside. They had just stepped into a dark hallway when the lights snapped on and a horrendous guttural voice sounded throughout the ship.

"State your intentions and you will be exterminated," the voice stated.

"Um, don'tcha mean _or _you will be exterminated?" Rocket said, chuckling. Gamora shot him a glare for joking around at such an inappropriate time.

"No," the voice replied, evidently not amused. "You will be exterminated regardless of intentions. You have 10 seconds."

"Hey, now, wait a minute!" Peter shouted urgently. "We're here with the Nova Corps. We come in peace! We come in peace!"

"Nova…Corps?" The voice seemed to think for a moment. "We have no record of any Nova Corps in our files. You will be exterminated."

"Peter, I think now is a good time to run," Gamora said, tugging on his jacket sleeve.

"Fleeing is futile," the voice said. "We will find you, Star-Lord."

"What? Star-Lord?" Peter said. "How do they know my—?"

"Peter, come on!" Gamora dragged him by the hand towards where they had broken in, but the owners of the ship had already sealed the exit.

"I gotta blast a hole in it!" Rocket shouted. "Masks on!"

The group donned their breathing masks and Rocket cocked his favorite plasma cannon. "Hold on, everybody!" he shouted and fired one skillful shot at a small porthole. One shot shouldn't have worked, but you know Rocket and his weapon alterations. They were immediately sucked out into space.

Peter made it to the ship first and quickly collected his friends. But he wasn't fast enough. By the time Drax had climbed aboard, the mystery ship was lit up and heading in their direction.

"We have to move, now!" Peter told Rocket.

"On it," he said and jumped into the drivers seat.

"We can't go back to Xandar." Gamora said, buckling herself in behind me. "The Nova Corps' forces are too weak for an attack right now. And we don't know how much of a threat these people are."

"She's right," Peter said. "We'll just have to shake 'em."

"I got this," Rocket stated confidently and switched on the main thrusters, but before he could take it out of hover mode a massive boom shook the ship.

"They are shooting at us!" Drax said angrily.

"I am Groot!"

"Just buckle up and shut up everybody!" Rocket moved the ship forward at a sudden speed that forced Peter back into his seat. The enemy ship followed closely behind, firing at them the whole way. They made a few more hits and soon the shields were completely gone. The warning alarms came on a few moments later, notifying them of the apparent damage the ship had endured. Peter checked the gauges. Not only were the fuel reserves dwindling, the oxygen levels were dropping and the navigations were becoming spotty. He thought about calling Nova before communications cut out, but he couldn't risk the enemy ship identifying their location. Gamora was right, ever since their run in with Ronan last year Xandar's security has been less than prime. The Nova Corps lost a lot of men in that battle.

Peter shuddered at the memory and turned his attention back to the situation at hand. "Head for the Aeron Asteroid belt just north of Helion," he commanded Rocket. "Then make a left. I'll see if I can call for help from the Helians."

"I do not like them," Drax commented.

"Too bad, buddy, they're our last hope!" Peter called back.

That's how they ended up here, skidding towards open space in a battered ship running low on fuel and oxygen. Peter can't help but blame himself and think that this is how it ends. After only a year of service the Guardians of the Galaxy are about to be "exterminated" by some stupid mystery ship in the middle of nowhere.

"It's not open space!" Rocket assures.

"It sure as hell looks like open space, Rocket!" Peter says.

"Trust me, Peter. I know where I'm going." Rocket looks at Peter and nods.

Peter sighs and occupies himself with transferring as much energy into the thrusters as possible. "You have like five minutes of fuel left. Make the most of it."

"You got it, Star-Lord." The group only ever called him by his alias when things were getting serious. Most of the time he drew a sense of pride from it, but today it made him feel sick.

_Star-Lord_. The creepy voice knew his name. Why did it know his name?

Rocket keeps the ship moving forward at a steady speed. The enemy ship trails behind, no longer firing at them, almost as if they know Peter's ship is on it's last leg and are just waiting for it to die so they can do what they want to him and his friends. But Peter's not going down without a fight. When this ship stops he'll defend it and his friends with his dying breath. If he can save just one of them it will be good enough. He'll never admit that out loud, however.

"What is that ahead?" Drax asks, pointing at a dark space a little ways from them.

"That is a black hole, big guy," Rocket says.

"Well, why are we heading towards it? Shouldn't we be avoiding it?"

"That's a good point," Peter says. "Rocket, why are we nearing a black hole? Those things are deadly."

"Do you have any other ideas?" he snaps.

"Are you seriously suggesting that we enter a black hole in hopes that it will drop us off somewhere safe?" Gamora says.

"Do any of you have a better plan?" Rocket demands. "I'm trying to get us away from these jackasses tailing us and this is the only thing I can think of."

"How did you even know there was a black hole out here?" Peter says.

"I've been around! Look, guys, we don't have a lot of time. Are you with me or not?"

"Do we have a choice?" Gamora says tersely.

"Not really."

"Fine. Let's go." She makes eye contact with Peter for a split second and then returns her gaze straight ahead.

"Carry on, furry one!" Drax says and nods in Rocket's direction.

Peter shrugs. "I'm in."

"I am Groot."

"All right. That's all I need. We're goin' in crew." Rocket speeds toward the growing mass of black matter. About three kilometers away he shuts down the controls and it starts to draw them in itself.

Peter takes one more glance back at Gamora, Drax, and Groot, and then stares into the stormy blackness as it consumes them.

xxxxxxxxxxx

_Rose Tyler_

"Doctor, where are we?" Rose rests her elbows on the TARDIS control console and stares up at him.

He pulls the navigation screen out of its nook and examines it. "We are, Rose Tyler, somewhere in the middle of….nowhere?" He frowns and examines the screen more closely. "That's not right. Rose, can you get my glasses please?"

"Sure." She reaches into his coat pocket and pulls them out. "Would you like me to put them on you as well?"

He smirks down at her. "Yes. Please."

She places the glasses on his nose and pats his cheek. "There ya go."

"Thank you."

She turns away from him and walks to the other side of the control console to hide the blush on her cheeks. "No problem, Doctor. So I'll say it again, where are we?"

"We were supposed to be nearing Alumium, but it seems we've drifted towards a…whoa."

"A what?" She walks back to him and peeks over his shoulder. "Doctor, a what?"

"A black hole," he says and looks at her with knitted brows. "Did I mention anything about visiting a black hole?"

"Not that I recall."

"Hmm." He replaces the screen and twists a few knobs on the control console. "Not a problem. I'll just get us back on—"

Rose is thrown onto the ground as the TARDIS jolts around violently. The lights flicker and Rose can feel her stomach drop as the TARDIS spins repeatedly like it sometimes does in the Time Vortex.

"What's happening Doctor?" she shouts at the Doctor. He is gripping the controls for balance while furiously flipping knobs and pressing buttons.

"I don't know, Rose, just hang on!" he calls back. He goes on pressing buttons for a few more seconds and then the TARDIS finally stabilizes.

Rose lets out a relieved sigh and stands up. She brushes herself off and stumbles over to the Doctor. "What the heck was that?" she says.

The Doctor shakes his head. "It's so odd. It appears something flew out of the black hole and crashed into us, disabling the stabilizers and sending us flying into it ourselves."

"We're in a black hole?" Rose perks up, suddenly intrigued. The Doctor has taken her to many planets and many different times, but he's never shown her a black hole before.

"Well, not in one per se. More like, hovering on the outskirts."

"What crashed into us?"

"Not sure, but I've captured it in the TARDIS' pull. I think it's another ship."

"Another ship? Like another space ship?"

"Precisely."

"Well if it's another spaceship there are probably people on it. We've got to help them, Doctor!"

"Right you are, Rose Tyler." He starts pressing some random buttons. "I will transport them into the repair deck."

"Brilliant, meet you there?"

The Doctor puts his hands on his hips and shakes his head at her. "I don't think so. You're not going in there alone. What if they're bad people?"

"I can take care of myself, Doctor!" Rose says and turns away from him. Ever since the time he almost lost her to the collapsing 'Satan Pit,' as he calls it, he's refused to let her alone. Rose likes the protectiveness most of the time, but sometimes she wishes he would give her more responsibility.

Rose has made it halfway to the hallway when the Doctor joins her. "Did you do the thing?" she says.

"Yes I did. The ship should be sitting safely in the TARDIS repair deck…or the swimming pool. I always get those coordinates mixed up. Let's hope it's the former."

Rose laughs and takes the Doctor's hand. "C'mon, we'll get there faster if we run."

"I like the way you think, Rose Tyler." He squeezes her hand and together they run through the deep hallways of the TARDIS to what the Doctor likes to call the "repair deck." Rose thinks of it more as a tinker room where the Doctor likes to play with his weird little mechanical toys and build models of the fighters from Star Wars just to prove how scientifically elementary they are.

When they get there the Doctor leans against the door and gives Rose a stern look. "Whomever or whatever is in this room could be very dangerous. Are you _sure _you want to do this?"

They share a look for a brief moment before simultaneously bursting out into laughter.

"Just open the darn door!" Rose commands.

**So that's the first chapter of I don't know how many. I'm not even sure if I'm going to keep this story going, so if you would like to read more I'd really love to know :)**

**Also, this is my first time writing in third person so if there are any mistakes and I revert back to first person I'm so sorry!**


	2. The Broken Milano

_Rose Tyler_

The Doctor snaps his fingers and the doors to the repair deck slide open. Rose follows behind him as he steps inside and shakes his head at the sight.

"This ship definitely looks like it took a trip through a black hole," the Doctor says. The moderately sized vessel is severely dented and torn in several areas, its blue and orange paint and front windshield are hardly visible through severe burn marks on the exterior armor, and one of its wings is barely hanging on by a thread.

"Yeah it looks pretty bad," Rose agrees. "But I didn't even think travelling through a black hole was possible. Didn't you say something about that?"

"I said it was improbable. I didn't say anything about impossible. Anything is possible. Well, not anything. There are certain things wherein their probability relies solely on—" The Doctor glances at Rose who is glaring at him with raised eyebrows, as she often does when he goes off on one of his tangents. He shakes his head and stops his train of thought. "Right, sorry. Though it is odd that a ship of this size made it through. I wonder where it came from."

"I don't see any alien or foreign markings for the Tardis to translate. Everything is all burned," Rose says.

"Looks like we're just going to have to go inside." The Doctor grins and together they search for an entrance for the Doctor to sonic. Rose finds one under the vessel and soon they're climbing into what looks like a small living area.

"It's _filthy _in here," Rose comments as she kicks aside an empty soda can.

"That's strange," the Doctor says.

"What is it, Doctor?"

"There are leaves _everywhere_. What would random leaves be doing on a spaceship? Unless of course we're dealing with The Forest of Cheem, but everyone knows they prefer vessels that run on natural fuel. This vessel _definitely _doesn't run on natural fuel. However—"

"Doctor, look," Rose interrupts and points to a ladder leading up to a second deck. "It probably leads to the cockpit."

"Good eye, Rose." The Doctor pats her on the back and Rose tries not to blush. She loves when he commends her.

They climb the ladder to the second deck and find a greater multitude of leaves and twigs. There are four empty seats in front of the control panel but no humans or aliens. Then again, it's extremely dark and Rose has to squint to see anything.

"There's no one up here, Doctor," Rose frowns. She was hoping to meet some new form of alien. When the Doctor seems confused she knows she's in for a delightful surprise, but they don't seem to be finding anything.

"We can't be sure of that," the Doctor says and starts scanning a side of the cockpit. He stops with raised eyebrows. "We're definitely not alone."

"What is it?" Rose says excitedly.

"Not quite sure." The Doctor crouches down and brushes some loose twigs and leaves away to reveal a massive tree trunk. "Ah there we go."

"It's a tree trunk," Rose says.

"I don't think so." The Doctor smiles and nudges the trunk with his foot. Much to Rose's surprise it let's out a small human-like groan.

"Oh! It's alive." Rose says.

"Not just alive, Rose Tyler." He grins at her. "Sentient." He runs his hand along the trunk. "Hello there. I'm the Doctor."

The trunk rumbles and rolls over. Rose takes a couple steps back. "I am Groot," it groans.

"Hi, Groot!" the Doctor cheers. "Is this your ship?"

"No. Peter," it replies.

"Peter?" The Doctor stands up. "Where is Peter, Groot?"

The tree creature sits up slowly and Rose gapes at how truly massive it is. It's at least twice her size both horizontally and vertically. The Doctor seems absolutely delighted.

"Peter safe in arms. Over there." Groot nods at the largest pile of twigs and leaves in the corner of the room.

"Peter is under all the branches?" the Doctor questions.

"Yes."

"Rose Tyler," the Doctor says. "Start digging through those branches."

The Doctor and Rose spend a few minutes pulling apart the branches, which have been twirled together in a nest-like fashion, until they hear a groan and back away cautiously. A furry paw shoots out of the pile and whatever the creature is swears loudly.

The Doctor chuckles. "Hello! Are you all right?"

"Do I _look _all right?" the thing snaps. It climbs out of the mess of branches slowly and hops down onto the floor.

"Oh, a talking raccoon!" the Doctor says. "That's brilliant!"

"What's a raccoon?" The vest-wearing, talking animal brushes off its fur and examines us. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor and this is Rose Tyler."

"I am Groot."

"Buddy! You're all right!" The Raccoon pushes past us and wraps his tiny arms around Groot's massive torso. "You really gotta stop using your limbs to protect us, man. One day they're not going to grow back."

"Groot protects friends," Groot says. The raccoon rolls his eyes and returns to the pile of branches he climbed out of.

"So are you Peter?" the Doctor says to the raccoon.

"No. I'm Rocket. Peter is in here somewhere." He peeks into the nest of branches and sighs. "Dammit, Groot. They're really packed in there."

"Groot protects friends," the tree creature repeats.

"Yeah, really well," Rocket mutters and sticks his head inside. "Drax, Peter, Gamora, wake up! We got visitors!"

There are a few moans and groans and a man's voice says, "Quit yelling! We were just spit out of a damn black hole for Chrissakes."

"I did not know black holes had mouths, Peter," another man's voice says. The Doctor chuckles.

"Well it's a proper party." The Doctor grins at Rose and then goes back to watching the rest of the company struggle out of their wooden casing. Rose's eyes have adjusted to the dim light and it's now apparent that the random pile of twigs and leaves is actually a meticulously formed caccoon. It's quite amazing.

Out of the wooden sanctuary climb two men and a woman. They all appear normal enough except the tints of their skin seem a little off. Rose just attributes that to the poor lighting. The Doctor watches with delight as they all stretch their limbs and get their bearings straight.

The bald, hulking man is the first one to talk. "That was kind of fun," he says. "Peter, we should really do that more often."

"Yeah I don't think so, big guy," the other man says, massaging his shoulder. "Gave me a nasty kink in back." He turns to the woman who is busy picking twigs out of her long hair. "How you doing, Gamora?"

"I have survived much worse," she replies flatly.

"Yeah thought so." The man stops massaging his shoulder and turns his attention to Rose and the Doctor. "So um, thanks for helping us out of there."

"We didn't just help you," Rose says. "We saved you."

The man raises an eyebrow. "Did you now?" A small smirk is playing on his lips and Rose suddenly feels a tad uncomfortable.

The Doctor clears his throat. "I'm glad you're all doing well." He approaches the group casually and extends a hand to the bald man. "I'm the Doctor!"

The man stares down at the Doctor's hand with knitted brows. "What do you want me to do with your hand, stranger? Are you challenging me to a brawl?"

"No, I was just greeting you. You know, with a handshake?" the Doctor says.

The man hesitates for a moment and then grabs the Doctor's wrist. He flails the Doctor's hand around for a moment and then let's go. Rose giggles and the Doctor grins.

"I will never understand Terran rituals," the man mutters as he walks past us.

"Brilliant. Brilliant." The Doctor turns to the other man who gives him a normal handshake and then the woman who glares at him for a moment before turning around and making her way down the ladder to the first deck.

The Doctor pouts. "Was it something I said?"

"Nah," the smaller man says. "She's always like that when you first meet her. It gets worse when you get to know her."

"Yes, right. So, where are you lot from?"

"Why don't we start with names, eh? What did you say yours was again?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"And I'm Rose," Rose says, finding her way next to the Doctor.

"Nice to meet you, Rose. I'm Peter, but you can call me Star-Lord," the man says to her with a wink. She feels the Doctor take a small step closer to her. "And um, Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor," the Doctor replies.

"Don't you have a name?"

"I do. The Doctor."

"_The _Doctor? Your name is _The _Doctor?"

"You can just call me Doctor."

"Doctor _who_, though?"

"My name is the Doctor!" The Doctor raises his voice a bit and Rose holds back a giggle. She loves it when people get confused over the Doctor's name, and frankly she doesn't blame them. Doctors usually have names other than just "Doctor."

"Did your parents give you that name?" Star-Lord continues.

"Not quite."

"Then you named yourself _The Doctor_?"

"Precisely."

"Are you a real Doctor?"

"As real a Doctor as any!" the Doctor huffs. Rose can tell he's close to losing his cool so she decides to step in.

"Okay, that's enough!" she says.

"Bit pretentious to name yourself _The _Doctor, though, don't you think?"

"I said enough!" Rose repeats and steps in front of the Doctor. She puts a hand on his chest and she feels him relax. "What do you say we get out of this dark, dirty place and have a proper talk in the open air, yeah?"

"Sounds good to me." Star-Lord claps his hands and looks back at his group. "Move out crew!"

The Doctor and Rose follow the small party out of the ship. In the proper lighting they get to see what the crew really looks like and are both pleasantly surprised. The woman is actually a lovely shade of green with pink tips to her black hair and a few tribal indentions on her cheeks and forehead. The bald man is a pale blue with what looks like several pink tattoos all over body and face, though Rose gets the idea that they probably aren't tattoos. Rocket, Star-Lord, and Groot all look about normal. Well as normal as a walking tree and talking raccoon can look, that is, and Star-Lord just looks like a regular human. A rather handsome human, if she's being completely honest with herself.

Rose can feel how excited the Doctor is next to her. He's moving around like he's trying desperately to contain himself as the Doctor does when he encounters something new, something not even he his extensive knowledge of the universe can define.

"Look at this!" the Doctor says. "Look at you all. Oh, you are beautiful!"

"Thanks," Star-Lord winks.

"Eh, not you. You're normal. Human. Physically, kind of boring. But the rest of you! What a brilliant bunch!"

"Hey," Rose pouts at the Doctor.

"Oh you know you're brilliant, Rose Tyler." He squeezes her hand and moves to examine the group more closely.

"So I will introduce myself one more time to all of you. I am the Doctor and this is my ship." He gestures to the room.

"Bit shabby," Star-Lord says.

"Oi, you're one to talk…_Star-Lord_. You want to make fun of my name, best to check yours first. Star-Lord. How's this name for ya? _Time Lord_. Because that's what _I _am. Certifiably so."

"_Time _Lord?" Star-Lord scoffs. "Kinda lame."

The Doctor huffs and puts his hands in his pockets. "Better than Star-Lord."

"Did you name yourself Time Lord, too? Or are you suffering from two delusions?"

The Doctor takes a step forward but Rose puts her hand on his shoulder to hold him back. "Can we please move on from this? It's getting silly."

"Not sillier than the name _Star-Lord_," the Doctor mutters and Rose looks at him sternly. He purses his lips and changes the subject.

"So what are the rest of your names? I know Rocket, Groot, _and Star-Lord_. But what about this brilliant blue man and lovely green lady?

"I am Drax the Destroyer," the blue man says.

"Just call him Drax," Star-Lord comments.

"Gamora," the green woman says.

"There. Now that we're all properly introduced would you mind telling me where you're all from?"

"We're all from different places," Star-Lord says. "I'm Tarren, Gamora is Zehoberei, Rocket's just a raccoon, and the others are umm…" He scratches his head. "You know, I'm not quite sure where Groot and Drax are from."

"Planet X," Groot says.

"Hmm, never heard of it. But that's brilliant, Groot, thank you," the Doctor says.

"Wait." Rocket steps forward. "You can understand him?"

"'Course I can. He's speaking normally just like you and me."

"I can, too," Rose adds.

"Uh, no he's not," Star-Lord says.

"Sure he is," the Doctor says. "Groot, say something."

"I am Groot."

"Other than that."

"Doctor is nice man."

The Doctor grins. "See? Talking normal. And he likes me."

"He's right," Rocket affirms.

"What is this odd Terran talking about?" Gamora asks Star-Lord.

"I don't know," he says. "How are you doing that? All we ever hear is 'I am Groot.'"

"Ah. Must be the TARDIS translator. My brilliant girl." The Doctor smiles proudly.

"The what?"

"The TARDIS! My ship is called the TARDIS and you are standing in only a very small room in her very big interior. You crashed into her and she saved your lives. If I were you I would say thank you very soon, she get's temperamental when her kind deeds go unacknowledged."

The group stares silently at the Doctor for a long moment and Rose can't help but laugh. "They think you're mad, Doctor!"

"Yeah." The Doctor sighs. Rose knows he's not used to people responding so apathetically to his charms, and he _is _charming. But sometimes it's nice to see him get knocked down a couple rungs. He has the tendency to get a little too cocky when Rose doesn't have the heart to put him in his place.

"Why don't we show them the control room?" Rose suggests. "It'll help explain some stuff."

"Might be the only thing," the Doctor mumbles to Rose. "Well then, follow me. And try not to touch anything."


	3. Time And Relative Dimension In Space

_Peter Quill_

"So your ship is uh, called the Tortoise and it doubles as a time machine?" Peter says. "Did I get that right?"

"No, no, it's _Turdis_," Rocket corrects.

"I thought it was Retardis," Gamora says. "That is not a very kind name."

The Doctor groans and collapses into a chair next to his cute blonde friend. "Rose, help me out here. They're not…understanding."

"Well you do talk a bit fast when you're excited, Doctor," she says. "Sometimes even _I _have a hard time understanding you."

"Rose," the Doctor pleads.

"All right, Doctor. I'll help you out." Rose stands and playfully pats the Doctor on the head.

Peter gets the idea that there's more to their relationship than is apparent. They don't act like a couple, but they obviously have _something_ more. He wouldn't usually concern himself with this kind of stuff, but this Doctor guy rubs him the wrong way, and it's another thing Peter can use to get to him. He fully intends on testing this hypothesis at the next opportunity.

Rose walks around the weird round control console, which has way too many buttons, knobs, and levers than is logical in Peter's opinion. She stops where everyone can see her and turns to them with her hand on a lever.

"Where you all are presently standing is the, erm…cockpit of the TARDIS." She pulls the lever and all the controls on the console come to life with a mechanical whir. Several of the buttons and knobs glow different colors and there are parts to it, Peter notes, that seem hardly necessary. It's looks almost like a toy and Peter holds back a chuckle.

"TAR-DIS," Rose annunciates. "In case you can't understand my accent, I'll say it again. TAR-DIS. That is, Time And Relative Dimension In Space, if you need an acrostic to remember. Also that is, in fact, what the TARDIS is. It's a time machine that travels in a relative dimension, through space. Are you lot following me?"

Peter sneaks a glance at the Doctor who is watching Rose with a mix of admiration and approval.

"We are in a space ship that can travel through time!" Drax cheers as if he has truly just realized this fact. Peter thought they were just messing with the crazy guy to grind his gears. Though, he doesn't believe in all that time travel mumbo jumbo. This pair is clearly playing some lame joke on them to make them pay for denting their ship.

"Spot on, big guy," Rose winks at Drax who smiles pridefully. Gamora scoffs and rolls her eyes and Rocket sighs into his paw. Groot continues to grin at the blondie with fascination. Peter just shakes his head.

"But I still do not understand how we ended up in here," Gamora says. She sounds more irate than usual and Peter wonders why.

"Well the thing about the TARDIS," Rose explains, "is that she doesn't often take us _exactly _where we want to go."

"But she always takes us where we need to go," the Doctor adds and Rose smiles at him.

"Precisely. And as such, we ended up right in your flight path as opposed to where we wanted to be, which was…where was it again, Doctor?"

"Alumium, planet composed entirely of aluminum. Don't know why they didn't just namethe planet _aluminum_. Well, the name was already taken by the Aluminum Major, composed entirely of gold." The Doctor shrugs and continues, "Anyways, they have to import absolutely every other necessity. Very expensive living. Thought we'd pay the king a visit."

"You know the king of a planet?" Rocket says with raised eyebrows.

"'Course. Nice fellow. Wears a crown of aluminum foil. Reckoned Rose could get a good laugh out of it."

"Oh, that would've been so nice," Rose frowns.

"Okay, I'm just going to say it. I've never heard of Alumium." Peter cuts in.

"Me neither, and I know of every planet and moon in the Galaxy," Gamora says.

"I thought he was pulling my tail," Rocket adds. "Am I the only one who thinks he's messing with us _every _time he talks?"

"Yes," Drax says. "The skinny Terran is very funny." He puts his hand on the Doctor's shoulder as he chuckles lightly.

The Doctor stands up abruptly. "We aren't playing a joke on you lot, I can assure you Alumium is a _very _real planet, and _why _do you keep referring to me as a Terran?"

"You _are _a Terran, are you not?" Gamora says.

"No, I'm a Time Lord. I thought we went over this."

"You mean Time Lord _isn't _a nickname for yourself?" Peter says.

"No, I'm a Time Lord of Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous!"

"Where?" Drax says.

Peter tries to wrap his head around this news for a moment. "Time Lord is a race of—"

"Alien," Rose interrupts. "He's an alien. He's got two hearts and does this thing to keep himself from dying." She grimaces slightly as if recalling a painful memory, and then continues, "And I'm a human."

"I am Groot."

"No, Groot," the Doctor replies. "But that would be brilliant, wouldn't it?"

"I am Groot," Groot answers.

"But enough with my origins." He turns to Gamora. "If you know of every planet in this galaxy surely you _must _know of Gallifrey."

Gamora shakes her head. "I don't."

"Galactic coordinates ten-zero-eleven-zero-zero by zero-two. Destroyed in the Time War?" the Doctor continues insistently

"Time War?" Gamora questions.

"My goodness," the Doctor frowns.

"In all fairness, Doctor," Rose says, "I didn't know about any of those things until I met you."

"Yes, but they're clearly they experienced space travellers. What year is it where you're all from?"

"What do you mean _where we're from_?" Peter says.

"Twenty-fifteen," Rocket answers for us. Peter glares at him and he just shrugs.

The Doctor nods. "Right. Not too far off."

"What do you mean?" Peter demands again, feeling rather irritated for being ignored earlier.

"I mean that 2015 isn't too far off from were we are presently," the Doctor says.

"And where is that exactly?"

"Hovering near a black hole in the year 2172."

Before any of the Guardians can protest Rose says, "Which brings us back to my explanation. The TARDIS took us to this black hole and minutes later your ship crashed into us. And then, being the kind man that he is, the Doctors snagged your ship and transported it to the repair deck." Rose walks to the group again with her hands behind her back. "Now for a little quiz. What's the ship called again?"

"Time and relative dimension in space!" Drax shouts eagerly.

"The TARDIS," Gamora says.

Rose smiles. "Both correct. Now the TARDIS is a spaceship but also a…?"

"Time machine?" Peter replies mockingly, but he immediately recoils at the glare Rose sends his ways.

"Why have you got to say it like that?" Rose is watching him with a penetrating glare. Being who he is—the Galaxy's hottest lady killer—he wouldn't usually let the angry glare of a cute woman get to him, but there's something about Rose, something powerful in her presence. Peter can see why this Doctor guy keeps her around. He likes it, but it also threatens him in a way he isn't quite familiar with.

"Sorry," he mumbles. "I'm still just trying to cope with the fact that you're claiming this thing is also a time machine. I mean, I'm not one to refute the extraordinary. My co-pilot is a talking Raccoon. But a _time machine_? _Really_?"

"Why's that so hard to believe?" Rose inquires calmly.

"The science is impossible," Gamora says.

The Doctor snorts and joins Rose. "Far from it, my dear Gamora."

Gamora tenses at the correction and I take a cautious step away from her. "I do believe it is," she continues firmly.

"Lighten up, mate," Rose says and Gamora's frown deepens. "We'll prove it to you." She looks at the Doctor expectantly. "Won't we, Doctor?"

"Absolutely!" He grins and turns to his control console.

The Doctor runs around the glowing panel of buttons, knobs, and levers, pushing, turning, and pulling them in ways that seem almost arbitrary. He actually looks pretty hilarious, but Peter withholds the laughter because he doesn't want to see Rose's glare again.

He doesn't expect anything to happen with the way the Doctor is going around doing random things, which is why he nearly screams when the ship jolts to life and he's sent flying, gut-first, into the side of the console.

"Sorry!" the Doctor calls to everyone as he continues arbitrarily doing things with the controls. "Had to get away from the black hole's pull. Took a little more kick than I thought. Should be smooth sailing from here on out." And he's right. For the next several minutes the ship is so still it almost feels like they're not moving at all. But, peeking at the navigations, it's clear that they're travelling extremely fast.

Peter notices the part of the navigations that formerly read 2172 rapidly declining. Concerned that it might be an engine trouble or something he says, "Aye, Doc, that number is getting smaller."

"Oh yes!" the Doctor shouts and grins at Peter with wide, crazy eyes. Peter jumps nervously at the expression and walks away.

"I can't deal with that guy," he says to Gamora as he sits down next to her on one of the only two chairs in the whole cockpit.

"I can't deal with the woman," Gamora says. She stands up and walks to the other side of the room.

Peter shakes his head and looks at Rocket who's watching the Doctor curiously. "What's so interesting, Rocket?"

"Just this guy," he says quietly. "He's weird. I have no clue how he's watching where we're going and yet the ship is sailing smoothly. He's wearing sneakers with a suit and he needs a damn haircut." He pauses and looks at me. "But I kinda like him, ya know?"

Peter scoffs. "Not in the slightest. But I kinda like the blondie. Know what I'm saying?" I wink at Rocket and he rolls his eyes.

"Control yourself, Peter. Our lives are in this guy's hands. The last thing you want to do is mess with his chick."

_That's exactly what I want to do_, Peter thinks to himself smugly. "Whatever Rocket." He stretches his limbs, which are slowly growing sorer from the crash landing, and yawns. "Go talk with your new best friend."

"I am Groot?"

"Nah, he's just joking, buddy," Rocket assures his Groot. "Why don't you go make friends with the pretty lady?"

"I am Groot!" Groot says cheerily and carefully makes his way over to Rose. Rocket joins the Doctor by the controls, Gamora sulks in the corner, and Drax watches everyone apathetically. Peter remains where he is, observing his crew in this new environment.

They've been a lot of strange, exciting placing with their freelancing and work with the Nova Corps, but this is something uncharted. Peter can't decide if he's comfortable with it or not, so he just sits uneasily in the old leather seat, thinking.

He's not sure what bothers him more, the crazy guy driving a ship with no clear mode of visibility or the fact that the creepy voice on the mystery ship knew his name. He's not necessarily surprised that it knew is name, per se, it's more of an uneasiness with the way the thing said it.

_We will find you Star-Lord_. Why do they want to find him?

Peter sighs deeply and pushes the thought from his mind. _Don't worry about it Peter_, he assures himself. _You probably won't even encounter them again. The Galaxy is a massive place._

**I wrote most of this in class so I'm sorry that it's super short. I will probably be doing most of my fun writing during times where I shouldn't be haha. Anyway, enjoy :)**


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